Dr. Louise Shelley has written a new book, Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime, and Terrorism. Published by Cambridge University Press, the book analyzes the transformation of crime and terrorism and the business logic of terrorism. The book can be purchases here.

TraCCC has received a grant from the U.S. State Dept. to begin work on analyzing the transnational criminal networks responsible for the catastrophic surge in rhino poaching from South Africa in recent years.

TraCCC interviewed Olena Shostko, 2013-2014 Visiting Fulbright Scholar at TraCCC, on her work and her views about the current struggle in Ukraine. A Professor of Criminology at the Yaroslav the Wise National Law University (Kharkiv, Ukraine), she is an expert in organized crime, anticorruption, and comparative criminal justice.

Welcome to TraCCC

The Terrorism, Transnational Crime and Corruption Center (TraCCC) is the first center in the United States devoted to understanding the links among terrorism, transnational crime and corruption, and to teach, research, train and help formulate policy on these critical issues. TraCCC is a research center within the School of Policy, Government, and International Affairs at George Mason University.

Featured Research

November 17: TraCCC staff and students Andy Guth, Robyn Anderson, Kasey Kinnard, and Hang Tran have had an article published in the peer reviewed journal “Social Inclusion.” The paper, called “Proper Methodology and Methods of Collecting and Analyzing Slavery Data: An Examination of the Global Slavery Index” can be read here.

November 14: Read about TraCCC grant from the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs here.

We are delighted to announce that TraCCC has been awarded a grant of $368,000 by the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement (INL) of the Department of State, under the $10 million initiative, announced by President Obama in 2013, to combat international trafficking in wildlife. TraCCC’s grant proposal, entitled “Time to Take Action” aims to analyze the transnational criminal networks that are responsible for the catastrophic surge in rhino poaching from South Africa in recent years, and to support South African authorities and law enforcement globally in directing their efforts against transnational horn smuggling networks at their most vulnerable points.

The project will operate from 1 October 2014 to 30 September 2015 and will focus on the following activities:

Creating a database with South African colleagues to track smuggling networks and monitor changes for law enforcement as networks adapt or new actors emerge;

Writing and publicizing analyses of the “convergence” of rhino horn trafficking networks with traffickers of people and narcotics;

Pinpointing legal authorities that can be used to seize assets, maximize penalties, and raise awareness with law enforcement agencies about those legal options;

Assisting South African authorities to develop global law enforcement partnerships.

Assessment of Poaching of Forest Elephant in Gabon

In October 2014, TraCCC Senior Fellow, Gretchen Peters will be traveling throughout Gabon, with funding from Woodtiger Foundation, in order to complete a rapid assessment of the transnational crime networks responsible for the slaughter of forest elephants in Gabon. Her meetings in Gabon are being organized by Dr. Lee White, director of Gabon’s National Park Service, with personal support from Gabon’s President Ali Bongo Ondimba. Following her trip, Gretchen will prepare a written assessment of the current situation, and a proposal on ways that Gabon might fight the poaching problem at the transnational level.

Dirty Entanglements: The Culmination of Decades of Research

The idea for Dr. Louise Shelley’s newest book, Dirty Entanglements: Corruption, Crime, and Terrorism was formulated in the 1980’s. More than 15 years of research and travel has lead to the publication of this new text that explores the business model of transnational crime and terrorism. Learn more…

Specifics of Activities of Ethnic Chinese Crime Groups in Eastern Siberia in Post-Soviet Period (1991-2011) (2012)A.L. Repetskaya, summary by Enkhchimeg Sengee, September 2013

Anna L. Repetskaya, PhD in Jurisprudence, is a Chair and a Professor of the Criminal Law and Criminology Department of Baikal State University of Economics and Law in Russian Federation. In her 2012 research project, Repetskaya analyzes the characteristics, scope, and scale of activities of ethnic Chinese crime groups in the region (Early Post-Soviet period 1991-1997 and Modern period 1998-2011), and determines the factors contributing to their expansion.

Respecting the Rights and Legal Interests of Small Indigenous Nationalities of the Russian Federation while Pursuing Natural Resources in Territories of Their Livelihood (2012)Ruslan Sh. Garipov, summary by Enkhchimeg Sengee, July 2013

Dr. Ruslan Sh. Garipov conducted a research project “Respecting the Rights and Legal Interests of Small Indigenous Nationalities of the Russian Federation in Pursuit of Natural Resources in Territories of Their Livelihood” in 2012. He draws attention to the imminent threat to the survival of the cultural and ethnographic values of small indigenous peoples who have lived for centuries in regions that are industrializing rapidly.

‘Problems in Combating the Illegal Use of Pesticides and Agrochemicals in Agricultural Cultivation in Eastern Siberia’ (2012)Yu.O. Karpysheva, summary by Enkhchimeg Sengee, June 2013

Yuliya. O. Karpysheva conducted a research project in 2012 on the illegal use of banned pesticides and agrochemicals in the cultivation of agricultural goods in Eastern Siberia in the Russian Federation (RF). The author analyzes the illegal use of harmful pesticides and agrochemicals, and offers a series of policy recommendations to mitigate the problem.